Chiefs Edge Bengals

Despite a game full of turnovers for the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes and the offense had a chance to win the game with just over two minutes remaining and a two-point deficit against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After a tumultuous afternoon from rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia, it was left tackle Wanya Morris who was inserted into the game for Kansas City’s final drive. On a fourth down and 6, Morris got a illegal hands to the face penalty, setting up a 4th-and-16. From there, Mahomes rolled left and flicked a downfield pass for wide receiver Rashee Rice.

An early-arriving defender rammed into the back of Rice, leading to a 29-yard pass interference call that set Kansas City up in field goal range. From there, kicker Harrison Butker split the uprights from 51 yards out, giving Kansas City a walk-off, 26-25 victory over another AFC rival.

In an AFC battle of rivals, Kansas City routinely created its own problems Sunday. Whether it was Mahomes not seeing a dropping linebacker for an uncharacteristically bad first quarter interception or rookie running back Carson Steele fumbling on a 2nd and 10 carry in the second quarter, Kansas City wasn’t an error-free operation offensively in Week 2.

“We’re not even playing our best football and we’re still getting these wins against great opponents,” said Mahomes following a two-interception performance, the 13th multi-interception game of his NFL career.

Kansas City moved the ball efficiently on the ground, averaging 4.7 yards per carry throughout the afternoon, but a passing game that struggled to block Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson consistently let the Chiefs down.

“Our best plays were called back but it was a great job by (Mahomes),” Reid said after several of the 28-year-old quarterback’s scrambles that found tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Rashee Rice for long first downs were called back via penalty. “Turnovers, they kill you. They very seldom give you an opportunity to win the game. To come out of it with a win with three turnovers is a plus, but we’ve gotta take care of business there.”

For large portions of the first half, Kansas City couldn’t get out of its own way. Each of the Chiefs’ two first-half turnovers happened inside their own territory, setting Cincinnati up for short scoring drives.

A first-quarter interception from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes set up Cincinnati’s first touchdown drive, a seven-play, 31-yard drive that ended with a toe-tapping 4-yard touchdown reception from Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas.

In the second quarter, Steele’s fumble gave the Bengals the ball on the Chiefs 46-yard line. From there, Cincinnati needed just 16 yards to get into range for a 48-yard Evan McPherson field goal.

On Kansas City’s opening drive of the second half, head coach Andy Reid got into his bag of tricks, utilizing a formation with linebacker Leo Chenal playing fullback and backup offensive tackle Wanya Morris as an eligible receiver. A play-action fake opened Morris up for a wide-open 1-yard touchdown reception, giving Kansas City a 17-16 advantage.